Torghatten

Torghatten
View of the mountain
Highest point
Elevation	258 m (846 ft)
Prominence	258 m (846 ft)
Coordinates	65°23′54″N 12°05′23″E / 65.39833°N 12.08972°ECoordinates: 65°23′54″N 12°05′23″E / 65.39833°N 12.08972°E
Geography
Torghatten Location in Nordland
Location	Brønnøy, Nordland, Norway
Topo map	1725 I Brønnøysund

Torghatten is a granite mountain on Torget island in Brønnøy municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is known for its characteristic hole, or natural tunnel, through its center.^[1] It is possible to walk up to the tunnel on a well-prepared path, and through it on a natural path.

On 6 May 1988, Widerøe Flight 710 from Namsos to Brønnøysund crashed into the side of the mountain, and all the 36 passengers and crew died.^[2]

Tunnel

According to legend, the hole was made by the troll Hestmannen while he was chasing the beautiful girl Lekamøya. As the troll realized he would not get the girl, he released an arrow to kill her, but the troll-king of Sømna threw his hat into the arrow's path to save her. The hat turned into the mountain with a hole in the middle.^[3] Also, Felice Vinci has linked the legends about Torghatten to the Homeric myth of Polyphemus.

The tunnel is 160 metres (520 ft) long, 20 metres (66 ft) wide, and 35 metres (115 ft) high. It was formed during the Scandinavian ice age. Ice and water eroded the looser rocks, while the harder ones in the mountain top have resisted erosion.^[4]

Media gallery

• 

  The large hole in Torghatten

• 

  The climb up to the hole is not too difficult

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  View from the south

• 

  Torghatten in February

References

1. "Gallery-Norway-Torghatten". Retrieved 4 Aug 2010.
2. "Dental identification after the Dash 7 aircraft accident at Torghatten, Northern Norway, May 6th, 1988". J Forensic Odontostomatol 10 (1): 15–24. June 1992. PMID 1429934.
3. "Norwegian Mountains". Retrieved 4 Aug 2010.
4. "Torghatten, Scenic Attractions". Retrieved 4 Aug 2010.

External links

• Brønnøy municipality website about Torghatten (Norwegian)